Bio

KUPER AT A GLANCE:• An eighth-year offensive guard in his sixth season as a starter for Denver who allowed just 12 sacks in 78 career starts (67 at right guard, 11 at left guard) in his first seven NFL seasons according to Stats Inc.• Invited to the Pro Bowl as an alternate following the 2012 season despite playing just seven games (5 starts), electing not to play in the game due to injuries that limited him during the year.• Selected by his teammates as the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 2012 after persevering through a fractured/dislocated ankle suffered in the 2011 regular-season finale and a broken forearm sustained through training camp.• Named a first-team All-Pro selection by The Dallas Morning News (Rick Gosselin) in 2011 after starting all 16 regular-season games and helping the Broncos lead the league in rushing with a team-record 2,632 yards. • Finished as the NFL's only 16-game starting guard to not allow a sack in 2008 (Stats Inc.). • Helped the Broncos set a club record for fewest sacks allowed (12) in 2008 and rank third in the league in yards per rush (4.8) despite placing seven running backs on injured reserve.• Started the Broncos’ final 11 games in 2007 at left guard after seeing time in one game with the club as a rookie in 2006.• Received All-America honors from the Associated Press in each of his final two seasons at the University of North Dakota, where he logged his first 29 career starts at right guard before switching to left tackle early in his senior year.• Selected by the Broncos in the fifth round (161st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft.

KUPER AT A GLANCE:• An eighth-year offensive guard in his sixth season as a starter for Denver who allowed just 12 sacks in 78 career starts (67 at right guard, 11 at left guard) in his first seven NFL seasons according to Stats Inc.• Invited to the Pro Bowl as an alternate following the 2012 season despite playing just seven games (5 starts), electing not to play in the game due to injuries that limited him during the year.• Selected by his teammates as the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 2012 after persevering through a fractured/dislocated ankle suffered in the 2011 regular-season finale and a broken forearm sustained through training camp.• Named a first-team All-Pro selection by The Dallas Morning News (Rick Gosselin) in 2011 after starting all 16 regular-season games and helping the Broncos lead the league in rushing with a team-record 2,632 yards. • Finished as the NFL's only 16-game starting guard to not allow a sack in 2008 (Stats Inc.). • Helped the Broncos set a club record for fewest sacks allowed (12) in 2008 and rank third in the league in yards per rush (4.8) despite placing seven running backs on injured reserve.• Started the Broncos’ final 11 games in 2007 at left guard after seeing time in one game with the club as a rookie in 2006.• Received All-America honors from the Associated Press in each of his final two seasons at the University of North Dakota, where he logged his first 29 career starts at right guard before switching to left tackle early in his senior year.• Selected by the Broncos in the fifth round (161st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed by Denver as a draft choice 7/27/06. Placed on injured reserve by Denver 1/3/12.

2013: Kuper played four games with one start for the Broncos in 2013... Made his 2013 debut, playing nine snaps on special teams at Dal. (10/7)... Played 28 snaps at right guard after tackle Orlando Franklin left the game with an injury and Louis Vasquez moved from right guard to right tackle vs. Jac. (10/13)... Made his first start of the season at Ind. (10/20).

2012: Kuper played seven regular-season contests (5 starts) and one playoff game (1 start), missing time during the season due to forearm and ankle injuries... Named a second alternate to the AFC Pro Bowl roster and was invited to play in the league’s annual all-star game before declining due to injury... Voted by his teammates as Denver’s Ed Block Courage Award winner... Made his season debut on special teams at N.E. (10/7) after missing the team’s first four games with a forearm injury... Started his first game of the year and played every offensive snap at S.D. (10/15).

2011: Kuper opened all 16 regular-season games for the second time in his career and helped the Broncos lead the NFL in rushing with a team-record 2,632 yards on the ground... Named a first-team All-Pro selection by The Dallas Morning News (Rick Gosselin)... Injured his ankle in Denver’s season finale vs. K.C. (1/1) and missed the postseason.

2010: Kuper opened 15 contests at right guard for the second consecutive season, anchoring an interior offensive line that featured 34 starts by rookie or first-year players... Missed Week 2 vs. Sea. (9/19) due to a knee/ankle injury.

2009: Kuper started the Broncos’ final 15 games of the year at right guard... Missed the season opener at Cin. (9/13) with an ankle injury.

2008: Kuper started all 16 games at right guard for Denver and was the only 16-game starting guard in the NFL to not allow a sack according to Stats Inc.... Helped the Broncos set a franchise record for fewest sacks allowed with 12 that tied for the fewest in the NFL... Blocked for a Denver offense that ranked third in the NFL in yards per rush (4.8) despite placing a league-high seven running backs on injured reserve... Part of a Broncos offense that was second in the league and first in the AFC in both yards per game (395.8) and yards per play (6.2).

2007: Kuper played on special teams in the Broncos’ first five games of the season before starting the club’s final 11 contests at left guard... Became a starter in Denver’s sixth game of the year in place of Chris Myers, who moved from left guard to center to take over for an injured Tom Nalen... Helped the Broncos rank sixth in the NFL in yards per rush (4.4) during his 11 games as a starter.

2006: Selected by the Broncos in the fifth round (161st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, Kuper played on special teams in one game... Declared inactive for the first 11 games of the season before dressing but not playing in the following two contests... Made his NFL debut on special teams at Ari. (12/17).

COLLEGE: Kuper was a three-year starter at the University of North Dakota who received All-America honors from the Associated Press in each of his final two seasons... Played 48 career games (41 starts) at UND with the first 29 coming at right guard before he switched to left tackle early in his senior season... Earned his second consecutive Most Valuable Offensive Lineman award from the North Central Conference and was a first-team All-American (AP) and all-conference choice as a 13-game starter during his senior campaign... Nominated for the Gene Upshaw Award, presented to the best offensive or defensive lineman in Division II, as a first-team All-American during his senior year in 2005... Received second-team All-America recognition (AP) and the NCC Most Valuable Offensive Lineman award as a 14-game starter during his junior campaign.

PERSONAL: Kuper was an all-state selection as a two-way lineman at A.J. Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska... Contributed 119 tackles (65 solo) and 10 sacks during his senior campaign... Recognized as an all-conference choice on offense and defense following his junior and senior seasons while being named the conference’s Most Valuable Lineman as a senior... Helped his high school reach the state championship as a junior... Was one of only two Division II players invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game... Majored in communications at North Dakota... Married Cynthia during the offseason leading up to the 2009 season... Chris Kuper was born on Dec. 19, 1982, in Anchorage, Alaska.